Rosh Chodesh: Sanctifying The New Moon

Sanctifying the new moon is one of 613 mitzvot found in the Torah, and has become the basis for the monthly Jewish holiday of Rosh Chodesh as well as the creation of the Jewish calendar. This mitzvah is derived from a biblical passage from Exodus: “This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you” (Exodus 12:2). A passage from Leviticus relates to calendar division: “These are the appointed seasons of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season” (Leviticus 23:4). The sanctification of the new moon is synonymous with Rosh Chodesh, a minor holiday that marks the new moon. Rosh Chodesh is celebrated every month for one or two days depending on the length of the
The worship service includes additional parts, including a Musaf service, the reading of prayers from the Amidah, selections from the Hallel, and the reading of Numbers 28:1-15. In scripture, Rosh Chodesh included festive meals, refraining from business-related matters, and visiting prophets. Modern Jews often celebrate with festive meals and some women take the day off from household chores. In some circles, the holiday has become a celebration of women. This comes from the tradition that women don’t work during Rosh Chodesh as a reward for the ancient Israelite women not contributing their jewelry to the construction of the golden calf at Mt. Sinai. There are no specifications for who is required to celebrate Rosh Chodesh, it is something everyone can participate
It is made up of 12 lunar months, which consist of 29 ½ days each. However, this calendar system adds up to only 354 days per year, so to conform to the solar year used by the rest of the world a thirteenth month is added to the end of the lunar year seven times over the course of 19 years. This month is usually called a leap month, but can also be referred to as Adar Shayni, v’Adar, or Second Adar. Since each lunar month is technically 29 ½ days, and days cannot be divided in half, some months are 30 days long and some are 29 days long. Months that are always set to be 29 days long are Iyar, Tammuz, Elul, Tevet, and Second Adar; while months that are always 30 days long are Nisan, Sivan, Av, Tishri, and Shevet. Depending on the year, the months of Cheshvan and Kislev can be either length. The month of Adar is 30 days long on a leap year and 29 days long otherwise. The first month of the year is Nisan, which makes Passover the first holiday of the year according to the Jewish